STIHL is a German manufacturer globally renowned for its consistent production of quality landscaping tools. Every tool produced by the company features technology that is at the very forefront of innovation in the industry.

 

It is also no secret that STIHL invests more money into innovation than its closest competitors. Its combination of clever Swabian business practices and high self-imposed standards of quality allows STIHL to produce tools of unparalleled excellence. Nothing comes close to a STIHL chainsaw.

 

STIHL’s near-obsession with excellence extends to the quality of service that customers experience when purchasing their products in-store. The company will not supply hardware stores with their tools until these retailers manage to pass a rigorous vetting process. This ensures that customers always buy STIHL products from industry professionals who can uphold the brand’s standards at the point of sale.

 

STIHL’s spot among the most trusted power tool brands is well earned, especially with regards to the chainsaws they manufacture. Having been in the business for nearly one hundred years now, STIHL produces many of the best chainsaws in the world.

 

STIHL chainsaws are tough, dependable, and ergonomically designed to accommodate the comfort of the user. Better yet, STIHL chainsaws come at a fair price. STIHL chainsaws may cost a bit more than your local brand, but the difference is astonishing.

 

First-time STIHL users are quick to realise that their chainsaws are worth every cent. When it comes to chainsaw technology, STIHL is far ahead of current thinking and trends in the industry. The company invests heavily in innovation to ensure that they remain ahead of the curve. As it currently stands, STIHL still produces new and exciting products numerous times per year.

 

STIHL’s product quality and sterling reputation keep their tools in high demand. Countless landscaping businesses rely on STIHL chainsaws as their number #1 choice because of the guarantee of quality and longevity.

 

 

Even though STIHL’s biggest market is in the professional landscaping industry, the company still produces some of the finest domestic gardening tools. Whether you are a contractor or a homeowner, it does not matter – STIHL has the best tools for you.

 

The Perks of Owning a Professional STIHL Chainsaw

 

A STIHL Pro chainsaw is any landscaping contractor’s dream. Pro chainsaw models feature unmatched performance and power, able to sustain a razor-sharp run time of 2 000 hours per chain. This means that you could theoretically use a Pro chainsaw for 5 hours a day for over a year without encountering major functionality issues.

 

Furthermore, Pro chainsaws have computers built in to optimise the user experience. STIHL’s electronic M-Tronic™ engine management system calibrates the fuel metering and ignition timing of the saw, automatically tweaking the settings to best suit the task at hand.

 

Inside the carburettors of STIHL Pro chainsaws are the microprocessors responsible for recording altitude, octane, heat, the air filter’s differential pressure, and fuel quality. The microprocessors interpret this data to produce system adjustments that make the user’s job easier.

 

These microprocessors can also store this information for later use. This is especially useful when tasks are big enough to warrant periods of rest between start and completion. Users can come back after a break or even the next day with retained settings still tuned to the ongoing job.

 

The MS 201C – The Smallest Pro Model STIHL Chainsaw

 

While STIHL’s line of Pro chainsaws is primarily designed for professional landscapers and arborists, the company does produce compact variants for domestic use. This gives customers the opportunity to buy a chainsaw fit for household landscaping but with all the bells and whistles of a Pro model, including the M-Tronic™ engine management system.

 

One such chainsaw is the MS 201C. Light yet powerful, this model is beloved among homeowners and woodcarvers. Weighing in at only 3.9 kg, the MS 201C is a 1.8 Kw machine that produces an impressive 2.1 horsepower.

 

Do not let the size fool you; this chainsaw produces a high output despite its compact design. There is even a top-handled model that STIHL produces. Due to its various ergonomic attributes, this version of the MS 201C is favoured among arborists.

 

This saw makes quick work of firewood trees, felling and trimming them with ease. The weight reduction of this saw in comparison to other Pro models makes it easier to wield for extended periods. Even the pull cord that swings the engine offers substantially less resistance, making it easier to start. With this saw, users can exert less effort and still get the job done.

 

The shape of the MS 201C might differ from the average STIHL chainsaw, but this should not throw you off. Despite its untraditional design, the chainsaw is nevertheless well-balanced and performs as well as any STIHL tool is expected to. None of the functionality is compromised.

 

The MS 880 Magnum – The Biggest STIHL Pro Chainsaw

 

Excluding the bar and the chain, this chainsaw has a dry weight of 10 kg. Altogether, it can weigh up to 16 kg. Inside the frame lies a 121.6 cc engine capable of producing a jaw-dropping 8.58 horsepower. This bad boy idles at 700 revolutions per minute (RPM) and redlines at 11 000 RPM.

 

It also features a cylinder board 2.3 inches in diameter. The large fuel tank supports 1,3 litres of petrol and the system can hold 700 ml of oil. The bar lengths available for this chainsaw are either 63 cm or 75 cm. To put it simply, the MS 880 Magnum is an absolute beast.

 

The MS880 model is the most powerful series-produced chainsaw in the entire world. It even comes with intimidatingly huge bumper spikes that make the too very reminiscent of something one might find in a Mad Max film.

 

As you could imagine, a chainsaw this big would lead to high compression. STIHL, ever so clever, designed the MS 880 with a decompression valve for this very reason. To make it even easier to swing such a large engine, the chainsaw also comes with STIHL ElastoStart™ installed.

 

The ElastoStart™ is a mechanism featured in numerous STIHL products, especially amongst their expansive range of Pro chainsaws. The primary purpose of the ElastoStart™ is to make the procedure through which a chainsaw is started easier for the user.

 

 

In the handle of the pull cord of a chainsaw with ElastoStart™, you will find an integral dampener installed. This allows for the alleviation of much of the peak resistance experienced when cranking the engine. Working in tandem with the decompression valve, the ElastoStart™ substantially reduces the amount of effort exerted during the starting procedure.

 

How to Operate STIHL Pro Chainsaws Safety

 

Let’s be frank; with a long guide bar sporting a razor-toothed chain spinning at an average speed of 60mph being its most distinguishing feature, a chainsaw of any kind presents a risk to the health and safety of its user.

 

You can, however, practice the proper safety precautions as advised by industry professionals to substantially decrease the chances of sustaining an injury when using a chainsaw. Here is a list of some of the safety instructions STIHL advises to customers when using its chainsaws:

 

• You should always keep your chainsaw inside its protective case when it is not in use or when being transported from one place to another. This decreases the chance of accidents as the case secures the chainsaw’s bar and chain.
• Before using the chainsaw, you are advised to first don proper protective gear. You should wear safety goggles for your eyes and cover your ears. A hard hat must cover your head and your feet should be protected with steel-tipped construction boots. As for your hands, they should be covered with thick gloves designed to provide improved grip strength.
• When cutting trees, make sure to prevent your body from coming in line with the chain as it rotates. Should the chain be exerted to the point of breaking, there is a chance that it may whip back and injure the user if the chainsaw is not properly positioned.
• If your chainsaw’s moving chain at the front of the guide bar makes contact with a firm object or if the wood you are cutting pinches the chain while cutting, you may experience kickback. This causes the chainsaw to jump upward towards the user from the point of contact, potentially causing injury.
• To prevent this, stand to the side of the log you are cutting and make sure the chainsaw is positioned below the height of your shoulder.  You can make it even less likely for a kickback to occur by not sawing wood using the tip of the blade.
• Sawing with the proper blade segment will prevent the nose from going blunt and causing kickbacks. If you intend to follow all precautions, you can also add a tip guard to the nose of your saw. This makes it all the more unlikely that a kickback will occur during use, keeping the user safe.

 

 

If you are using a brand-new STIHL Pro chainsaw, you are advised to avoid running the machine at high revs for the first three tank fillings. During this initial break-in period, abiding by this instruction will prevent unnecessarily high loads.

If a part of the chainsaw is meant to move during use, it will require this break-in period to bed in place. Because of this, the short block experiences frictional resistance while the chainsaw is being broken in. After about 5 – 15 tank fillings, the engine should begin to reach its maximum power.

 

STIHL Chainsaw Resell and Repair Is Easy

 

The chainsaws produced by STIHL exemplify the gold standard in reliability, consistency, and lifespan. Consequently, this makes their chainsaws coveted even as second-hand tools. And because of their astounding quality, their chainsaws boast considerable resale value. Many landscaping companies treat their arsenal of STIHL tools as business assets.

 

The purchasing of second-hand STIHL products is a solid investment even if they come with issues. STIHL tools are easy and affordable to repair. Better yet, STIHL’s sprawling customer base makes the job of servicing its products a quite lucrative business. It is thus incredibly easy to track down a local business that can perform affordable repairs on STIHL tools.

 

Order a STIHL Chainsaw from Us

 

We at BS Power are industry leaders in the retail of contractor equipment and commercial power tools of all kinds. Our catalogue features a wide variety of STIHL chainsaw options for both commercial and domestic applications.

 

Due to high demand, we currently only stock the MS170 and MS250 chainsaws but are likely to add more models to our inventory again very soon. The MS170 is perfect for homeowners wanting to thin out wood or to saw firewood. The MS250 is ideal for arborists in need of a tool for the cutting of limbs and small trees.

 

Interested in our chainsaws? Contact us on 021 981 6040 and let’s talk equipment!